MATERIALS SCIENCE UNIT
Materials characterization
Mechanical tests
Tensile test, bending test, compression test (in ambient, hot and cold conditions)
Rockwell, Vickers, Brinell hardness measurements
Micro-hardness measurement (characterization of surface treatments)
Test par DMA
Chemical analyses
Determining chemical composition (by electric spark spectrometry)
Carbon and sulphur assay (LECO combustion analysis)
Assay, identification and quantification of molecules (gas chromatography)
Semi-quantitative analysis (scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy)
Metallography
Macrographic and micrographic examination (using optical microscopy and/or electron microscopy combined with X-ray microanalysis)
Characterizing the microstructure of metal alloys (validation of the customer’s technical specifications, checking the absence of defects)
Corrosion and ageing tests
Standardized corrosion analysis (ISO, AFNOR, ASTM) or based on specifications
Ageing test (controlled environment chamber, saline mist)
Materials expertise
Failure analysis – Expert appraisal and analysis of damage – Product quality defects
Exploratory survey
Analysing the circumstances of the failure or damage, the life cycle, the operating conditions, the environment…
Morphological analysis of the part
Determining the type of damage (rupture (e.g.: fragile, ductile, fatigue, etc.), corrosion, corrosion under stress)…
Defining loading mode and the type of stress
Follow-up examinations
Confirming or clarifying the causes of sparkover and the modes of propagation
Checking the conformity of materials with specifications.